Thill-coupling.



C. O. BRADLEY.

THILL COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1907.

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PATENTED. JAN. 14, 1908.

CHRISTOPHER C. BRADLEY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

THILL-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14:, 1908.

Application filed March 26, 1907. Serial No. 364641.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER C. BRAD- LEY, of Syracuse, in the countyof Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Thill-Couplings, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to certain improvements in thill couplingsinvolving the use of a fixed jaw and a movable j aw hinged thereto andadapted to grasp between them a coupling pin. These jaws maybe mountedeither upon the clip or upon the thill iron, and the essential object isto provide a simple, practical and durable quick-shift automatic takeupcoupling capable of being manufactured at a minimum cost. In other wordsI have sought to make the take-up spring serve the double purpose of alever and locking means to hold the movable jaw in operative positionwithout the use of the usual link by pivotally attaching one end of thespring to an extension on the movable jaw and returning the other end ofthe spring upon itself to establish sliding connection with the thilliron or fixed jaw between the jaw pivot and pivotal connection of thespring with the movable jaw.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings1*igure 1 is a sectional view of a thill couplingembodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan ofthe same, the movable jaw being shown in its closed. position in bothviews. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the coupling jaws and operatingmeans for opening and closing the movable jaw, the parts being shown intheir open position.

In order to demonstrate the practicability of my invention, I have showna coupling pin 1 as supported upon a suitable clip 2- on the front axleas 3, said coupling pin being in this instance encircled by a yieldingsleeve 4 of rubber surrounded by a split metal shell 5, the latterforming a metallic gripping face for the jaws. This coupling pin 1 andits inclosing sleeves 4 and 5 are adapted to be grasped by a fixed aw 6and a movable jaw 7, the fixed jaw being preferably integral with thethill iron as 8 while the movable jaw 7 is pivoted to the fixed jaw by apin 9- in front of the coupling pin -1 and is provided with a forwardlyextending arm 1 0 having its front between the extension 10 of themovable jaw and thill iron -8- of the fixed jaw and having slidingconnection with the latter be tween the pivotal pins 9 and 11-, that isthe curved bearing 13 on the free end of the spring 12 is slidable alongand against the under side of the thill iron -8 to and from the pivotalpin 9 and, therefore, to and from a position at the rear of the pin 1 1-so as to cut the are through which the pin 1 1 swings.

It is evident from the foregoing description that by tensioning the freeend of the spring so as to press by its own tension against the adjacentface of the thill iron or fixed jaw, when moved to the rear of the arcof movement of the pin -1 1, its tendency will be to press downwardlyupon the arm or extension 10 thereby rocking the jaw -7 upon its pivotto its closed position and affording a take up for the jaws upon thecoupling pin.

WVhen it is desired to open the jaw it is simply necessary to place thefinger in the loop of the spring and draw downwardly until the bearing13 on the free end of the spring is drawn along the lower side of thethill iron 8 to a position in front of the arc of movement of ,the pin-11 whereupon the spring is released and may be swung rearwardly underthe movable jaw to allow the latter to be opened to its full limit.

What I claim is:

1. A thill coupling comprising a coupling pin and opposed jaws, one jawbeing pivoted to the other and extending some distance from the pivot atthe opposite side of the jaw proper, and a spring pivotally attached atone end to the extension and having its other end adapted to swingacross the arc of movement of its pivot between the extension and thilliron of the fixed jaw in sliding contact with the latter.

2. A thill coupling comprising a fixed aw and a movable jaw hingedthereto, and having a grip face at one side of its pivot and an arm atthe opposite side of its pivot, the fixed jaw havlng an extensionoverlying the arm, and a spring having one end attached with theextension of the fixed jaw and 10 'to the arm and its other end insliding engagemovable across the arc of movement of its ment with theextension of the fixed jaw.

3. A thill coupling comprising a fixed jaw having an extension, amovable jaw provided with an arm projecting under the extension andpivoted to the fixed jaw, and a spring pivotally attached at one end tothe arm and having its opposite end in sliding contact I pivotalconnection with the arm.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th d ay of March,1907. CHRISTOPHER C. BRADLEY.

Witnesses H. E. CHASE, C. M. MoCoRMACK.

